The union representing 15,000 carpenters in Ontario has struck a tentative deal that could end a strike that began in early May.
On Wednesday, the Carpenters' District Council of Ontario confirmed that a tentative agreement was reached between various construction companies and employer bargaining agencies in the province. On May 9, workers in the Industrial Commercial Institutional (ICI) sector walked off the job, after members voted down a previous tentative agreement.
Workers in the Residential, EPSCA and Maintenance sectors have not been impacted by the ICI strike, as some have already ratified collective agreements for their divisions.
The ratification vote will take place on Friday, with a final tally expected in the afternoon.
"A condition for this to be ratified province-wide, requires is what is known as a “double majority”, which is a majority of locals (of 14), and a majority of members voting must vote acceptance," a release from the CDCO read.
Mike Yorke, the president of the CDCO, previously stated the union wants to see wage increases for its workers amid the rising cost of living and as their duties were seen as essential during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Wednesday, he said the latest agreement better reflects those expectations.
"We worked diligently with our respective employer groups and have fashioned an agreement that reflects the current economic affordability crisis, and one which we believe the members in Ontario will accept and ratify," Yorke said. "Construction is too important an economic driver in this province for us to be too long on strike and without an agreement."
